Thumb DOWN for ... ANOTHER HORRIFYING TRAGEDY. Heartfelt sympathy left Las Vegas for Santa Fe this week in the aftermath of a tragedy that we’re all too familiar with. Last weekend, three teenage girls and one teenage boy were killed in a collision with a suspected drunken driver who was reportedly going the wrong way on the Old Las Vegas Highway just outside Santa Fe. The suspect survived, as did the girl who was driving the car that was hit.

The Optic’s profile on Nash Lucero (June 26 edition) was magnificent. (Great writing by Lupita P. Gonzales). Nash has been my friend and mentor all my life. He is an artisan and craftsman of the old school and of the highest order, who values honor and a true work ethic in all he does. I wish I possessed just half his intellect and wisdom.

For those of you new to Las Vegas, please read the story. You will then know why this is such a special place. It’s the people, and Nash Lucero is the best example of the “stuff” we’re made of here.

I am currently a youth advocate against tobacco use in and around my community. As I have gone to several businesses around town, I have had to walk past people smoking next to the door. The Dee Johnson Clean Indoor Air Act is a law that was passed in 2007, which eliminated indoor smoking in any public place. This law provides designated areas for smoking but these areas must be away for any doorways, windows, or ventilation systems to prevent secondhand smoke from entering the building.

A lot of people had high hopes for Las Vegas Mayor Tony Marquez when he took office in March 2008. A relatively young guy, he seemed to represent the change that so many people sought.

Three months after his election, the mayor convinced a City Council majority to fire six department directors, but he didn’t find replacements right away. In fact, the city didn’t fill most of the vacant posts until more than six months later.

It’s hard to describe the Fiestas de Las Vegas in only a few words and do it justice. One can look at the schedule and see a wide variety of activities and events — a parade, a reína’s baile, a holy mass, a fishing expedition, a run/walk, a tribute to veterans, fireworks, street dancing and lots and lots of musica — which begs the question, what ties all this together?

A public official’s most important duty is obedience to the U.S. Constitution. That’s why the Las Vegas Housing Authority must immediately strike its provision allowing for warrantless searches of houses.

Famous people die in threes, as in Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett Majors and Michael Jackson. Important people, not necessarily famous, pass away in pairs.

Two people who have been close to my family, though probably unacquainted with each other, are Robert W. Johnston and Nea Escudero.

First Bob.

The name Johnston in Las Vegas is much less common than Johnson, without the “t.” Robert K. Johnston, a prolific writer of letters to the editor, for a time was confused with the Robert with a W in his name. I know both.

Support for the film industry in Las Vegas is alive and moving forward. On June 13, a workshop was held for those interested in becoming employed in the film industry as a production assistant. Eighteen “students” attended and were instructed in many aspects of the industry, from preparing a resume, using a walkie-talkie to proper etiquette expected on a film set.

After reading Mr. Jose J. Marquez’ letter to the editor on Monday, June 15, I would like to share the following letter I wrote Mr. David Giuliani to his e-mail address on June 8 on the same topic.

“Dear David,

“My name is Sara Harris. I know we have met, though I don’t expect you to remember me. I retired from teaching Spanish at Highlands in 2002 and have had the privilege of being able to teach there in different capacities in the Spanish, Education and Social Work Departments.

We have no problem with the suspects in the assaults at last year’s Robertson High School football camp trying to get an education. In fact, we encourage that.

Two of the six have pleaded guilty to taking part in the sodomizing of their teammates at the August camp. They were kicked out of Robertson, and their probation agreements bar them from returning to that school.

I was interested in Margaret George’s comments on HR 2454 cap-and-trade on June 5 (“Beware of the bill for cap-and-trade”). As it stands, it really is a very scary bill and should not be passed because of potential soaring costs and loss of freedom, to name just two reasons.

OK, so I have a different opinion than some people, but do I deserve to be ridiculed for it?

In today’s political world, a common way to stifle the “opposition” is to denigrate them into submission. Unfortunately, many buckle to derision and choose silence rather than exercising their freedom to speak. The editorial cartoon in the June 12 issue of the Optic attempts to do that very thing.

‘Pareces una polilla!” Mom would shout as her underweight, overdressed 50-pound son began his daily uphill trek to his fourth-grade classes at Immaculate Conception School.

And why the unflattering epithet? Well, perhaps I did somewhat resemble a moth. Year-round, Mom had a sartorial regimen which mandated a thick T-shirt surrounded by a long-sleeve corduroy shirt covered by a thick Red Ryder sweatshirt, all enclosed by a cotton jacket.

thumb DOWN for ... A BAILOUT? Some interesting twists to the operation of our local senior centers recently surfaced, as the group that took over the centers’ program operations last year is now asking for city assistance with a budgetary shortfall. Last September, Albuquerque-based Ser de New Mexico took control of the three centers in San Miguel County — in Las Vegas, Pecos and San Miguel — but now its director, Theresa Lopez, is saying they ran a deficit of $62,000 in May and need the city to ante up.